Welcome to Heartbreak
by Glass O'Lemonade
Summary: Preview: "It didn't take him long to spot the familiar scarlet blur. Barry was on patrol; the perfect time to completely take him by surprise. The other man didn't even know that Hal and the other lanterns from Earth were back. He couldn't have planned this better if he tried." & "Barry wasn't smiling." T for mild language and a brief implication.


**AN.** This synopsis came to me last week. Last night I was inspired to actually write and post it. I hope you all enjoy this. **-Lem**  
**Disclaimer.** I do not own any rights to the DC Franchise, nor am I making any money off of this.

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Sector 2814. Earth. He was home.

Green Lantern Hal Jordan was finally home. Hopefully, he wouldn't be called on by the Guardians again for a very, very long time. Never before had a mission from Oa been as long as this last one. He was gone for seven weeks. _Seven weeks._ Almost _two_ _months_. If the Guardians thought they were going to pull Hal away from Earth any time soon, they had another thing coming. Besides, if everything went according to plan, Hal's time was about to be filled up for the foreseeable future.

He didn't even stop by the Watchtower on his return trip. What he was about to do took precedence over anything Batman needed him to report on.

He was told his mission would be three weeks, tops. No one considered the possibility of their opposition calling in another intergalactic police force to defend them, or that they wouldn't be finished until they were there for seven weeks. Yeah, that information would have been helpful to know before he flew across the universe with a black, felt box safely hidden in the same pocket dimension he kept his power battery.

That's when it hit Hal Jordan.

_Damn._

This was happening. He was going to do it. He couldn't turn back. The ring was already bought and Hal just breached the planet's atmosphere. _Now to Central._

Earth's first Green Lantern zipped through the air, flying to Central City without pause.

Hmm. Where would he find him when he got there? In the lab? On patrol? Visiting James to play darts? Wait. Hold up. For all he knew, Barry could be at home sleeping in. Of course Hal would dive in without thinking through everything, and with that, something like this was bound to occur.

The damn day. He didn't even know what day of the week it was. Sure he could guesstimate based off when he initially left, but that would take too much brainpower. Hell. If he wasn't going to stop for Gotham's Dark Knight, he wasn't going to stop for a calendar. Besides, he was almost there and his body was entirely running on adrenaline. H2O and rest could wait until this was done.

Until he got a yes.

Their relationship began slowly. The two men were quite different from one another, and yet no one else could understand him the way Barry did. They were the best of friends. Never once during that first year of knowing each other did Hal think he would one day be _proposing_ to him. Now? He couldn't bear the thought of not having Barry become his husband.

Before they began dating, Hal was continuously off and on with Carol Ferris. Barry actually married a woman named Iris West a few years after Hal met him. However, that relationship didn't last long. Unsurprisingly, Barry and Iris's divorce was one of the easiest Hal ever witnessed. The two were still good friends today. Iris's nephew, Wally, still visited Barry and called him his uncle. When Hal and Barry told the red-headed teen that they were dating, Wally became their number one supporter. He even started calling him Uncle Hal, and once Hal knew that he wanted to marry Barry, he told Wally first.

Wait. Maybe he should wait to ask Barry until Wally was present. Well, if Barry was on patrol then Wally would most likely be with him.

_Come on, Jordan. Stop trying to delay the inevitable. Find the blonde speedster and get it done with. Wally will understand._

Below him lay the Gem Cities; Central and Keystone. He was there. Now to find one dashing Barry Allen.

It didn't take him long to spot the familiar scarlet blur. Barry was on patrol; the perfect time to completely take him by surprise. The other man didn't even know that Hal and the other lanterns from Earth were back. He couldn't have planned this better if he tried.

Carefully, Hal flew down to the roof nearest him. Barry, also known to the vast public as the Flash, was still speeding around on the city's streets. From what Hal could see there didn't seem to be too many criminals running amok.

_When he finally stops, I'll go down and surprise him._

Damn, Hal should have done this months ago. What was he so afraid of? Barry would always say yes. Iris, Wally, and Ollie had assured Hal on more than one occasion that he would. Hell! Bruce the Batman Wayne took him aside after a Justice League meeting to tell Hal that he needed to get his head out of his ass and propose to Barry already.

Yes! Flash was finally standing still and in the middle of an empty street, too. Hal wasted no time in flying over to the other hero.

As he got closer something didn't feel entirely right. That was odd. Had Barry shrunk? Well then again, Hal had always been a few inches taller than him. Maybe it was just the time away playing tricks with his eyes.

Barry hadn't heard him approach yet. Hal easily opened up the pocket dimension and retrieved the little box that would change it all. He quickly created a light construct of a hand, the index finger sticking out, and gave Barry a tap on the back.

The first thing Hal noticed when Barry turned to face him was that he couldn't see the familiar, piercing, blue eyes that filled his dreams. Huh. Barry must have changed his outfit. That would explain the different lightning design at the waist and the screen covering his eyes. He hadn't mentioned that his other costume needed an update. Hal hadn't been gone that long, right?

The second thing Hal noticed was Barry's face. Granted, he couldn't see much except for the man's lips and nose, but he wasn't smiling.

Barry wasn't smiling.

Hal could only imagine what his eyes were doing behind the cowl. Disgust, guilt, disbelief?

Wasn't he glad to see him? Yeah, his mission took longer than he wanted. Yeah, he should have picked up a phone and called. But he was here. Hal was here and Barry should be relieved. At least… a little bit relieved. Did he not miss him even once when he was away?

Shit. What was he doing here? Standing like a complete idiot! Barry hadn't even discussed changing his outfit with him! They were going out and sidelined as heroes together. Hal wasn't expecting too much with the thought that Barry should have considered his opinion, or at _least _waited until he returned.

Then again, he didn't always run across every one of his ideas with Barry before he acted on them. Honestly, the new costume didn't look that bad. The eye thing was really pissing him off, though.

Hal shook off his thoughts and doubts. This was going to happen. He loved Barry. Barry loved him. Doubts and new costume be damned.

With a quick sweep of the street, Hal confirmed that they were the only ones present.

_Come on, Jordan. If you don't do it now, you never will._

Flash hadn't said anything yet. His mouth was still slightly agape in- well, with that new cowl Hal couldn't confirm what the other man was feeling.

"Barry," he started. He couldn't hold back the smile that came to his face when the name escaped his lips.

Then he knelt down; Hal knelt down on one knee in the middle of the road. His closed palm opened to reveal the small box. With his other hand, Hal lifted the lid.

"Barry, I love you. Not once while I was away did I not think of you, of us. I should have done this ages ago. Flash, Bartholomew Henry Allen, will you marry me?"

Barry was vibrating. His entire form was speeding up. That must be a good sign, thought Hal.

It wasn't often Hal caused the blond to vibrate, but when he did it was most assuredly because of something splendidly wonderful. That trip to the movies last year? Oh yeah, that was something splendidly wonderful alright. He couldn't even recall how the film ended; the two of them were so heavily preoccupied with one another.

Before Hal could inquire if Barry's vibrating was a yes, the other man finally spoke up.

The five words that left his lips were not, "Yes, I will marry you." It wasn't even a refusal or a plea for some time to mull things over. No. It was worse. Much worse.

With five words, Hal's world as he knew it shattered.

"Uncle Hal. I'm not Barry."


End file.
